Spiraea plant named ‘SMSMBK’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Spiraea  plant named ‘SMSMBK’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy habit; developing leaves that are greyed orange in color becoming medium green with a greyed green-colored overlay with development; large inflorescences with white-colored flowers; good garden performance; and resistance to mildew pathogens.

Botanical designation: Spiraea media.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMSMBK’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spiraeaplant, botanically known as Spiraea media and hereinafter referred to bythe name ‘SMSMBK’.

The new Spiraea plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new compact and mounding Spiraea plantswith attractive foliage and flowers and resistance to mildew pathogens.

The new Spiraea plant originated from an open-pollination during thesummer of 2007 of Spiraea media ‘SSBLUE’, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Spiraea media, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Spiraea plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor during the summer of 2009 as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new Spiraea plant by softwood cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since the summerof 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Spiraea plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Spiraea have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘SMSMBK’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘SMSMBK’ as a new and distinct Spiraea plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant        habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy habit.    -   4. Leaves that are initially greyed orange in color and become        medium green with a greyed green-colored overlay with        development.    -   5. Large inflorescences with white-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.    -   7. Resistant to mildew pathogens.

Plants of the new Spiraea can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, ‘SSBLUE’. Plants of the new Spiraea differ from plants of‘SSBLUE’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spiraea are more compact than plants of        ‘SSBLUE’.    -   2. Plants of the new Spiraea and ‘SSBLUE’ differ slightly in        leaf color.

Plants of the new Spiraea can be compared to plants of the Spiraea media‘Snow Storm’, not patented. Plants of the new Spiraea differ from plantsof ‘Snow Storm’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spiraea are more compact than plants of        ‘Snow Storm’.    -   2. Plants of the new Spiraea and ‘Snow Storm’ differ in leaf        color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Spiraea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Spiraea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of typicalplants of ‘SMSMBK’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typicaldeveloping and fully expanded leaves of ‘SMSMBK’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘SMSMBK’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants of the new Spiraea grown in three-galloncontainers and ground beds in an outdoor nursery andpolyethylene-covered greenhouse in Grand Haven, Mich. during the springand under cultural practices typical of commercial Spiraea production.Plants were two years old when the photographs and the description weretaken. In the description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Spiraea media ‘SMSMBK’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Spiraea media ‘SSBLUE’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Spiraea media,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at            temperatures about 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two            months at temperatures about 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fine to thick, fibrous; cream to brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; compact,            upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit;            vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 50            lateral branches developing per plant; pinching (removal of            terminal apices) will enhance lateral branch development;            dense and bushy habit.        -   Plant height.—About 40 cm to 60 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 60 cm to 80 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 50 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2 mm to 4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 144D; distally, close to 185A.        -   Color, developed.—Close to 166A and 200A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate or whorled; simple.        -   Length.—About 2 cm to 6.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.5 cm to 4 cm.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Serrulate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glaucous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Slightly pubescent; glaucous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            137C; towards the apex, close to 176A. Fully expanded            leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B overlain with close to            189A; venation, close to 145A; color becoming closer to 137B            with development. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface:            Close to 191A; venation, close to 145A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Diameter: About            0.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Single rotate flowers            arranged in terminal corymbs; freely flowering habit with            usually about 200 flowers per inflorescence; flowers face            upright to outwardly.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from late            spring through the summer in Michigan; flowers not            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Mild, sweet.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 3 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm to 5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 3 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 mm to 1.5 mm. Diameter: About 1            mm to 1.5 mm. Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl.            Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Broadly            obovate. Apex: Broadly obtuse to reuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl.            Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Subulate.            Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and            fully opened, upper surface: Close to 145A; towards the            apex, close to 144A. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 144C; towards the apex, close to 141B.            Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 54A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 30 cm to 35 cm. Diameter: About 1            mm to 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Diameter: About            0.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to outwardly.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower:            About 25. Anther shape: Globose. Anther length: About            0.25 mm. Anther color: Close to 155B. Amount of pollen:            Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 155B. Gynoecium: Quantity per            flower: Five to twelve. Pistil length: About 1 mm. Style            length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to 155D. Stigma            shape: Globose. Stigma color: Close to 155D. Ovary color:            Close to 144C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed on plants of the new Spiraea.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Spiraea have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about −31° C. to about 38° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Spiraea have been    observed to be resistant to mildew pathogens. Plants of the new    Spiraea have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other    pathogens common to Spiraea plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Spiraea plant named ‘SMSMBK’ asillustrated and described.